Waiting it Out on Canadian Universities - 2012

[Wright24]

This website really makes my neuroses seem a little less bizarre... My roommate says that if I keep stalking the poor mail-woman she's going to stop delivering to our house entirely.

Just wanted to give a heads up to anyone out there who might have applied to the MPA On-Campus program at the University of Victoria...I broke down and e-mailed the School of Public Admin last week and after receiving an auto-reply that basically said "relax...we're working on it," I got an actual reply: "We are meeting on March 9^th to review and make decisions on applications."

Does anyone know if this means that they will be making the final decisions (and hopefully notifying) after this? This is my first round of applications, and it's driving me up the wall! It's nice to know I'm not alone as one by one everyone else seems to be hearing back!

[JFRA24]

I wasn't aware that UVic's MPA program actually turns people down.

[foucaultmania]

Rejected via e-mail by Concordia's PhD in political science.

Edited March 8, 2012 by foucaultmania

[chibuku]

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!! Oh York Idk if it is just me, but I have seen a LARGE number of faculty from the Ontario schools who have A LOT of York PhD grads in the department. Wounder what kind of magic they are working there.

I've also noticed that York seems to do fairly well placing in Ontario as well, and wondering how well it compares to U of T and McGill in terms of placement...The first 2 graduate so many students that its hard to compare placement rates. Do people from these schools ever end up teaching in the US?

[Andsowego]

Accepted to York's PhD program in Sociology! I've been sitting on the U of T offer for a bit, so it'll be nice to compare and contrast the programs and be able to make an informed decision (there will be so many neurotic pro/con lists)!

I can't believe I'm in a position to choose! I am open to any insight!

Congrats! Awesome that you get to choose between two such amazing schools.

First, I know absolutely nothing about Soc. programs, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. All things being equal (funding, supervisory fit, etc.), if I were going to choose between UofT and York, I'd choose York. It has a better sense of close-knit community, is more open to diversity and a wider worldview, and overall, I've heard a lot more positive stories of people's educational experiences at York than I have from UofT. Yes, UofT is an excellent university with a well-known name, but that doesn't mean it's the best fit for everyone. I've also seen this comparison (please, no one take offense, I'm just the messenger): York is to UofT, like Canada is to the USA (for better or worse, depending on your perspective).

Edited March 8, 2012 by Andsowego

[waitingandhoping]

Just a note to those applying to UBC MA Poli Sci - I broke down and emailed. They are meeting tomorrow - decisions will be going out starting the 13th!

[DustSNK]

I've also noticed that York seems to do fairly well placing in Ontario as well, and wondering how well it compares to U of T and McGill in terms of placement...The first 2 graduate so many students that its hard to compare placement rates. Do people from these schools ever end up teaching in the US?

I don't know, but I would assume LOTS of grads from these schools get Jobs abroad, esp McGill. I've seen also lots of U of T grads in Soc departments across Ontario. With McGill being the "Harvard" of Canada I would think they go to the USA or abroad much. At least one professor I had told me, when you apply for schools as an American to Canada, mention WHY you want to go because they are use to many leaving CAN for school in the US.

[chibuku]

Does anyone know if Canadian funding packages are negotiable?

It seems like the offers are standardized unless you've been nominated for an award. However, the $15k minimum to go to Toronto seems rather low compared to $16k offered by McGill to live in Montreal which is far cheaper.

[electrochoc]

Does anyone know if Canadian funding packages are negotiable?

It seems like the offers are standardized unless you've been nominated for an award. However, the $15k minimum to go to Toronto seems rather low compared to $16k offered by McGill to live in Montreal which is far cheaper.

If you have other good offers on the table, they're always negotiable. That said, it might not always be wise to negotiate them if you know what I mean, it could reflect badly on you.

Some departments will just have no other money though, so even if you try to negotiate there is nothing they can do.

Edited March 8, 2012 by sipe

[DustSNK]

Does anyone know if Canadian funding packages are negotiable?

It seems like the offers are standardized unless you've been nominated for an award. However, the $15k minimum to go to Toronto seems rather low compared to $16k offered by McGill to live in Montreal which is far cheaper.

Doesn't U of T have a tuition waiver?

The Faculty of Arts and Science has instituted a funding guarantee that covers MA students in their one year program, and PhD students for four or five years (depending on whether the student enters directly from a BA, or completes an MA before entering the program). This multi-year PhD funding is intended to cover the period in which the student is engaged in fulfilling the major requirements of the program: course work, area research, thesis research and writing. The guarantee is equal to tuition + $15,000. The guarantee is met by a balance of three components: I) the U of T Fellowship, ii) Teaching Assistantships (TA), and iii) Research Assistanship (RA). Students are offered TA positions for 280 hours per academic year which carries a stipend of $9,831.99 for PhD students and $9,417.79 for M.A. students. Ph.D. students who do not complete their degree in the time guaranteed are eligible for TA assignments, with reduced priority. Each student is also required to apply for funding from sources outside the University of Toronto, and if successful, the U of T Fellowship component is eliminated.

[steeloatmeal]

Are MA students guaranteed any funding at U of T?

Edited March 8, 2012 by steeloatmeal

[trudeau]

Just a note to those applying to UBC MA Poli Sci - I broke down and emailed. They are meeting tomorrow - decisions will be going out starting the 13th!

Thank you!

[Randi]

Anyone accepted at Queen's Univeristy for the MSc in Mechanical Engineering?

[urbanaut]

This website really makes my neuroses seem a little less bizarre...

Hit the nail on the head right there...

[SeeYouSoon]

Just got the official email from Dept of Poli Sci at UofT that I'd been admitted. I found out a few days ago by emailing the graduate secretary asking when I might expect to hear back, but this was the official admission email. I was really excited getting into UofT, its my top choice for sure out of the 3 I've been admitted to.

BUT they're offering no funding whatsoever. And even though the program is only one year I don't know if I can or want to try and swing studying in Toronto with zero funding...

"We regret that the Department is unable to provide funding for students in the MA Program, but information is available on the School of Graduate Studies website regarding available grants and awards."

Now I'm conflicted and sad

[Maximilian]

Just got the official email from Dept of Poli Sci at UofT that I'd been admitted. I found out a few days ago by emailing the graduate secretary asking when I might expect to hear back, but this was the official admission email. I was really excited getting into UofT, its my top choice for sure out of the 3 I've been admitted to.

BUT they're offering no funding whatsoever. And even though the program is only one year I don't know if I can or want to try and swing studying in Toronto with zero funding...

"We regret that the Department is unable to provide funding for students in the MA Program, but information is available on the School of Graduate Studies website regarding available grants and awards."

Now I'm conflicted and sad

Congrats on your offers! I'm in the same situation. Accepted to Queen's with funding, U of T without. I guess because they admit 45+ MA students it would be a stretch to afford, especially because they also have an inordinate number of PhDs to fund, but it does seem a bit silly. Not sure if they will be able to attract the best students this way. I'm also very conflicted.

[marxram]

Oh, if anyone is on the Calgary MA cmns/cult waitlist, I just accepted an offer from my top school (got in today), so I will be releasing that spot. I think someone wrote on the survey they were waiting as #1 on Calgary's waitlist...

Edited March 9, 2012 by marxram

[canteaus]

is it safe to say that UoT won't be sending me any emails past 5:00pm (or on weekends)?

I can really spend less time checking my email all day.....

[AH YES!]

Oh, if anyone is on the Calgary MA cmns/cult waitlist, I just accepted an offer from my top school (got in today), so I will be releasing that spot. I think someone wrote on the survey they were waiting as #1 on Calgary's waitlist...

HEY! Where did you get in?

[Syrah]

is it safe to say that UoT won't be sending me any emails past 5:00pm (or on weekends)?

I can really spend less time checking my email all day.....

I feel like I ought to just let you off the hook so you can get some sleep and maybe eat something or have a shower, but I got an acceptance from the Philosophy dept. at 11:30pm on a Saturday. It made for a rather serene Sunday morning cup of coffee and all, but still... Edited March 9, 2012 by Syrah

[canteaus]

I feel like I ought to just let you off the hook so you can get some sleep and maybe eat something or have a shower, but I got an acceptance from the Philosophy dept. at 11:30pm on a Saturday. It made for a rather serene Sunday morning cup of coffee and all, but still...

gahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

[eaglespirit0]

So it's been more than a week than I had my interview with UBc for Anthropology, and I still haven't heard anything yet. It looks as if the Economics and Philosophy Departments released results this week. I'm wondering if I'm needlessly worrying more than I have to be; part of this is I have to take a trip next week where I will be out of Internet contact (it might actually be a saving grave!)

Congrats on everyone who has heard any news!

[civicblade]

Good luck fellow mechanical engineer.

I do not expect a reply from UBC regarding my Master of Engineering (Mech) application until sometime Mid April.

Anyone accepted at Queen's Univeristy for the MSc in Mechanical Engineering?

[surefire]

gahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

I would also like to let you off the hook, but I received my acceptance from U of T at 5:30 p.m. on a Friday... I got an electronic version of the official admission offer at 6:30 p.m. last Wednesday.

Syrah's got a point though, get thee to a shower-y!

Seriously, I kept my sanity by designating e-mail checking windows during the day, built around my workday, once during morning coffee break, once at lunch, once in the afternoon and once when I get home. I try to only check a handful of times on the weekend.

I didn't see the Friday evening acceptance until Sunday afternoon, and you know what? It felt just as awesome on Sunday as it would've on Friday... the admission didn't up and delete itself from my inbox because it wasn't feeling sufficiently obsessed over.

It's hard to to tell others not to fixate... but try not to fixate!

[alarmallama]

I'm still waiting on UBC and UVic Linguistics MA programs. Today I cracked and sent the UBC Ling secretary an email begging for a decision timeline. Hopefully she responds.